Vic: Police murder jury enters 5th day of deliberations

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Vic: Police murder jury enters 5th day of deliberations

A Victorian Supreme Court jury considering verdicts in the trial of two men accusedof a double police slaying has began a fifth day of deliberations.

BANDALI MICHAEL DEBS, aged 49, of Narre Warren and JASON JOSEPH ROBERTS, aged 22, ofCranbourne, have pleaded NOT GUILTY to the murders of Sergeant GARY SILK, aged 35, andSenior Constable ROD MILLER, aged 34.

The officers were gunned down on August 16, 1998, during a surveillance operation setup to capture two men responsible for a series of armed robberies on Melbourne's southeast.

They were shot after pulling over a suspect car just after midnight during a stakeoutof a Chinese restaurant in Moorabbin.

The crown alleges DEBS and ROBERTS were also responsible for the armed robberies.

The seven woman and five man jury retired on Monday morning at the end of a trial whichbegan on August 14.

They were allowed to break off at noon on December 24 until Boxing Day to spend Christmaswith their families.

AAP RTV sew/smb.

KEYWORD: DEBS (MELBOURNE)

Vic: Doyle quietly confident of toppling Napthine

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Vic: Doyle quietly confident of toppling Napthine

MELBOURNE, Aug 19 AAP - Dumped opposition frontbencher Robert Doyle was quietly confidenthe had the numbers to topple Victorian Liberal leader Denis Napthine, a party insidersaid today.

"The numbers are shoring up very quickly. He is feeling quietly confident," a sourceclose to Mr Doyle said.

Mr Doyle, who was sacked as opposition health spokesman last week after failing togive full support to Dr Napthine, will challenge the leadership at a party-room meetingtomorrow.

The source, who did not want to be named, said more MPs had come on side over the weekendand the vote was going to be close.

He said comments by former Premier Jeff Kennett on his radio program on Thursday hadhelped "tipped the balance" for some MPs who had decided to back Mr Doyle.

Mr Kennett, who supports Dr Napthine, called on Mr Doyle to resign, saying he had alwaysput his ambition ahead of his commitment to the party.

Mr Doyle, the MP for Malvern, today said he would not embark on revenge sackings amongopposition frontbenchers if elected.

"... there'll be no payback, there won't be massive changes," he told 3AW.

"Instead there will just be a refocused and reappointed team all working together."

Dr Napthine, who held a shadow cabinet meeting in Ballarat today, has languished inthe opinion polls but said there was "no chance" he would lose the leadership.

"I have got very broad support through the shadow cabinet and throughout the lengthand breadth of the party," he told reporters.

The Bracks Government can call an election from November 30, with the poll widely tippedto be held this year.

AAP lmw/kw/jmd

KEYWORD: NAPTHINE DOYLE

NSW: Workers threaten industrial action over wages

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NSW: Workers threaten industrial action over wages

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - Qantas maintenance workers have threatened to disrupt flightsand cause delays for travellers through industrial action unless Qantas offers a wageincrease.

Australian Workers' Union (AWU) organiser Matt Thistlethwaite told 200 maintenanceworkers who marched on the Qantas domestic terminal this morning he was hopeful an agreementcould be reached during talks today and tomorrow.

But he said workers had been repeatedly let down during eight months of negotiationswith the airline.

"Unless you come up with some sort of real wage increase in the next couple of weeks,unless you listen to our demands ... then we are going to escalate this dispute," he toldthe rally.

"There is going to be disruption to the travelling public, there will be disruptionto flight schedules.

"We don't want to do that but Qantas leaves us with no alternative."

The protest came after Qantas yesterday said it was optimistic the pay dispute wouldbe resolved by the end of the week.

Maintenance workers have been battling against a year-long wage freeze, staging industrialaction in Sydney and Melbourne over the past eight months.

The Transport Workers' Union (TWU) has negotiated a three-year pay rise of three percent a year for baggage handlers, freight workers and ramp staff.

Mr Thistlethwaite said the union used its industrial muscle and threats of strikesto secure the deal while maintenance workers tried to achieve a raise by being sympatheticto Qantas' position.

"Unfortunately we believe that this is due the industrial muscle that the TWU haveshown Qantas," he told reporters.

"They've said that if they don't get an outcome, that they would disrupt flights.

"We've taken a responsible approach to this dispute ... and unfortunately, Qantas haveshown contempt."

Senior AWU and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union members will meet with Qantasmanagement in Melbourne this afternoon, Mr Thistlethwaite said.

Qantas said it would also meet with 50 union officials and the ACTU in Sydney tomorrow.

Comment was being sought from Qantas.

AAP aa/sal/ph/bwl

KEYWORD: QANTAS WAGE PROTEST LEAD

Fed: Gov't castigated over asylum seekers

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Fed: Gov't castigated over asylum seekers

By Rob Taylor

CANBERRA, Jan 17 AAP - A leading human rights watchdog has castigated Prime MinisterJohn Howard over his hard-line on asylum seekers, saying the government had blatantlybroken international refugee laws.

In its annual report, the New York-based Human Rights Watch group accused Mr Howardof using boat people to fan racism on the path to election victory last year.

"Our principle criticism was of Prime Minister Howard himself, who during his re-electioncampaign was vigorously stoking people's fears of foreigners after September 11 to justifyhis summary expulsion of asylum …

Diary for Friday August 31, 2001

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2001
Diary for Friday August 31, 2001
EVENTS ARE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER AND IN LOCAL TIME UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE.


ADELAIDE:
1000 - Father Robert Reyes, a Filipino Catholic priest to lead the `Run for Life - Drop
the Debt' run, Victoria Square. Contact: Tony Roach 8210 8172.

1030 - Forestry and Conservation Minister Wilson Tuckey to hold second round of stakeholder
consultations on Commonwealth Fisheries Review Policy, Stamford Plaza, 150 North Tce,
Adelaide. Contact: Graeme Hallett 0419 688 440.

1100 - Premier John Olsen to officially open stage one of new facility at Women's & Children's
Hospital, Paediatric Theatres, 3rd Floor, Rogerson Building, WCH, 72 King William Road,
North Adelaide. Contact: Chris Ostermann 8161 7392. or 0401 125 630.

1130 - Port Power Press Conference with coach, Changeroom 3, Football Park. Contact: Hitaf
Rasheed 0414 826 813 or 8447 9912.

1300 - Adelaide Crows Press Conference, Adelaide Airport. Contact: Steven Trigg 8440 6666.


BRISBANE:
1000 - Health Minister Wendy Edmond to launch a new computerised patient records system
at the Logan Hospital's staff auditorium. Contact: Steve Rous 3234 1185.

1100 - Brisbane Airport Corporation to host an event at Brisbane Airport's domestic terminal,
Centre Satellite, to wish Virgin Blue a happy first birthday. Contact: Lea Crombie 0418
754 990.

1200 - Health Minister Wendy Edmond and Queensland Cancer Fund executive director Graham
Brien to launch a new Father's Day anti-smoking campaign at the Queensland Cancer Fund
Centre, 553 Gregory Terrace, Fortitude Valley. Contact: Steve 3234 1185.

1230 - Up to 50 of the top US and European swimmers from the Goodwill Games will be at
Dreamworld to take a break from competition. Contact: Lyndall Dennis 0419 764 589.


CANBERRA:
0900 - Senate Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education Legislation
Committee on Workplace Relations Amendment (Prohibition of Compulsory Union Fees) Bill
2001, Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra. Contact: John Carter 02 6277 3520.

0930 - House of Representatives Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts and Audit into
Sec Committee AG's, Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra. Contact: Margot Kerley
02 6277 2316.

1130 - ANU Open Day Preview - `The Fire, Light & Chemistry Show', ANU Chemistry Labs,
lst Floor, Science Road, Australian National University, Canberra. Contact: Clarissa Thorpe
02 6125 5575 or 0416 249 245.


MELBOURNE:
0900-1700 - RMIT University conference: Treaty - Trick or Truce?; 1530 - Michel Abbott,
QC, keynote address. Storey Hall, RMIT University. Contact: Andrew Yee 9925 3176, 592
398.
0915 - Energy and Resources Minister Candy Broad to launch new Victorian Recreational
Fishing Guide, Studley Park Boathouse Cafe, 1 Boathouse Road, Kew (Melway 2D E8). Contact:
Tom Laurie 9651 5799.

0930-1530 - Joanna Shapland, Director of the Institute for the Study of the Legal Profession,
Sheffield University, UK, keynote speaker at a seminar dealing with change in the legal
profession, La Trobe University's School of Law and Legal Studies, John Scott Meeting
House, Bundoora campus. Contact: Glenys Massey 9479 1297.

1000 - Prime Minister John Howard to launch book "Liberalism and the Australian Federation",
Sofitel Hotel, 25 Collins Street. Contact: John Nethercote 0418 974 963 or John Roskam
0415 475 673, Diane Young or Linda Nix 02 9552 2200.

1000 - Australia Council chairman Terry Cutler and John Rimmer to attend the launch of
Digital Content Review. Tribal, 50 Rouse Street, Port Melbourne. Contact: Sasha Grebe
02 6277 7480.

1030 - Making a Nation Federation Exhibition opening by Senator Julian McGauran, Old Post
Office Building, Pall Mall, Bendigo. Contact: Bruce Winzar 54346121.

1100 - Media conference with Monty Python founder Terry Jones, The Kiln, CUB Malthouse,
113 Sturt Street, Southbank. Contact: Shirley Hardy-Rix 9842 9740, 0412 057288.

1100 - Opening of `Let's Read Expo'. Education Minister Mary Delahunty presentation to
Betty Sommerville, author of `John and Betty' school readers and Literacy Week awards
to government and non-government primary schools, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, 2 Clarendon
Street, Southbank. Contact: 9637 2872, 0419 348 587.

1200 - Media and sporting personalities Sam Newman, John Elliott, Dr Jeff Simons and Mike
Brady luncheon panel discussion on `Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing', Carlton
Crest Hotel, 65 Queens Road. Contact: Bev Friend 0409 965577.

1330 - Mass choir rehearsal for the State Schools Spectacular `Shine', John Batman Theatre,
Melbourne Convention Centre, cnr Spencer and Flinders Streets. Contact: Sara Bannister
or Bill Peppos 9329 8210.

1445-1530 - Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Minister Richard Alston,
to announce the start of marketing and site works for Digital Harbour's Commonwealth Technology
Port, The Crest Room, Level 2, Colonial Stadium. Contact: Nicqui Merlino 9615 5588.


PERTH:
1100 - 2001 Insurance Commission of WA conference on Road Safety, Sheraton Perth Hotel,
207 Adelaide Terrace. Keynote speakers Professor Patricia Waller on Transportation to
Meet Societal Needs; Tony Bliss on Road Safety in New Zealand: the Next Decade and Beyond.

Awards presentation 1845. Contact 08 9227 0956.

1200 - Two-hour silent vigil at the Wesley Church, corner Hay and William Streets, to
demonstrate support for the family and for those who are still at risk in prisons. Speakers
at 1300. No contact number.

No Time Given - The Aquarium of WA's youngest male Australian fur seal heading for a new
home, taking off on an Ansett flight to Sydney early this morning. Contact: Natasha D'Arcy
08 9447 7500, 0408 903 277.


SYDNEY:
0900 - Two pickets by the National Union of Students (NUS) as part of rolling national
days of action, secret locations to be revealed on the day. Contact Sue Tan 0412 328 188.

1030 - Mineral Resources and Fisheries Minister Eddie Obeid to officially open the new
Nardell Underground Coal Mine, Statemine Road, Ravensworth. Contact Ingrid Piper 0417
662 739.

1100 - Jane Fleming, Susie Maroney, Gina Jeffreys and others to be present for a major
announcement on the biggest change in food for McDonald's in the last 30 years, McDonald's
Plaza, 600 George Street. Contact Julie Clayton 02 9875 6850.

1130 - 2001 Telstra Business Women's Awards NSW Presentation Luncheon with keynote speaker
NSW Small Business and Tourism Minister Sandra Nori, The Grand Ballroom of the Westin
Sydney, 1 Martin Place. Contact Maura Walsh 02 9206 0087.

1200 - Immigrant Women's Speakout, in conjunction with a coalition of refugee advocacy
groups, to hold a media conference, Jubilee Room, Parliament House, Macquarie Street.

Contact Gricel Mendez 9635, 8022, 0438 655 968.

1200-1400 - NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA) members to stop work for two hours as part
of the NSWNA's `What's a Nurse Worth?' campaign, rally outside emergency department, St
George Hospital, Kensington St. Contact Sandra Moait 02 9550 3244, 0414 810 177.

1830 - Announcement of the NSW Landcare Awards, Parkes Leagues Club, Clarinda Street,
Parkes. Contact Jenny Quealy 0404 847 302, 02 6862 1255.

1830 - Thomas Keneally to open "Of Global Appearance" exhibition, which explores the diverse
layers and fragments of the Quarantine Station, Manly Art Gallery & Museum, West Esplanade
Reserve, Manly. Contact 9949 1776.


SPORT:
RUGBY LEAGUE - NRL -
1930 - St George Illawarra v Bulldogs, SFS
AFL - Round 22 -
1940 - Essendon v Richmond, MCG
GAMES - to Sep 9 -
Goodwill Games, Brisbane
TENNIS - to Sep 9 -
US Open, Flushing Meadow, New York
NETBALL - Commonwealth Bank Trophy -
Grand Final, TBA
CRICKET -
ATSIC Youth XI v Windsor, Windsor, England
GALLOPS -
Moe
Beaudesert
Port Macquarie
Goulburn
TROTS -
Harold Park
Redcliffe
Gawler
Ballarat
Bendigo
Maitland
Gloucester Park
GREYHOUNDS -
Richmond
Geelong
Albion Park
Casino
Singleton
Mandurah
Cranbourne


ENTERTAINMENT:
No Items Listed



AAP Diary Contact: Hamish Esplin Phone: 02 9322 8673 Fax: 02 9322 8679.

AAP he/sal/las/sb

KEYWORD: DIARY FRIDAY AUGUST 31, 2001

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Ansett shouldn t be condemned: Anderson=2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2001
Fed: Ansett shouldn t be condemned: Anderson=2

CASA made its decision to ground the planes in consultation with Mr Anderson while
he was in Beijing yesterday.

"I made it very plain as I always do to CASA that they must act on the issue of safety
and public confidence in safety and those alone, nothing else," he said.

Mr Anderson later told Radio 2UE he believed CASA had a difficult decision to make
but they made the right one.

He said it was clear Ansett had a problem in the system it used to keep its maintenance
up to date and CASA had acted to ensure that safety was the first priority.

Mr Anderson said it was important for CASA to act independently and without fear or favour.

Ansett and Qantas remained two of the best airlines in the world, Mr Anderson said.

"(So) let's not be too down on our own."

AAP sal/ns/bwl

KEYWORD: ANSETT ANDERSON 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Combined funeral service for five killed by XPT

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-2001
NSW: Combined funeral service for five killed by XPT

SYDNEY, Feb 1 AAP - A combined funeral service will be held tomorrow for the five young
men killed when an express train struck their car last weekend.

Cameron Tucker, 19, Kyle Wooden, 18, rising football star Graham Kelly, 19, junior
javelin champion Luke Milne, 19, and Ben Wilkins, 19, were best mates and all former students
at Wagga Wagga's Kooringal High.

They died instantly when the high speed XPT train from Sydney to Melbourne struck their
Holden Statesman at the Bells Line Road crossing, 25km north of Albury, about 4pm last
Saturday.

The service will be held at St John's Anglican Church, Wagga, at 10am (AEDT), followed
by proceedings at the Wagga Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium.

AAP dmc/jjs/pc/br

KEYWORD: XPT FUNERAL

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.